Legal aid for British ex-MPs

Three former Labour MPs in Britain accused of fiddling their parliamentary expenses have been awarded publicly-funded legal aid to pay for their defence in their upcoming court cases, officials said.

Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine all face criminal charges of false accounting over claims they made for mortgage payments, rent and other services. They deny the accusations.

Conservative peer Paul White, known as Lord Hanningfield, did not make an application for legal aid. Media reports said the trio's legal costs could cost as much as £3 million.

The Legal Services Commission said the decision on legal aid rested with the court concerned.

"The Government has changed the law so that all defendants will be subject to a means test before a decision to grant legal aid is made," the commission said, adding the system was being phased in this year.